French minister to quit to lead Macron’s parliamentary group: report

French cabinet minister Richard Ferrand, who has been accused of dubious financial dealings, has agreed to resign from government to lead the parliamentary group of President Emmanuel Macron’s party, French media reported Monday, citing unnamed sources.

Le Monde reported that Macron had asked Ferrand, the minister for territorial cohesion, to switch roles at a meeting on Monday. Macron wanted Ferrand, one of his closest allies, to head up the parliamentary group of his La République En Marche party because “he is a man of confidence and efficiency,” a source told AFP.

La République En Marche and its allies won an overwhelming majority of 350 seats in the second round of France’s parliamentary election on Sunday.